


An Extraterrestrial Xmas

by TheSpaceCoyote



Series: 12 Days of Requestmas [3]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alien!Jack, Culture Shock, Fluff, Holidays, M/M, Xenophilia, mentioned mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 17:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13058283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaceCoyote/pseuds/TheSpaceCoyote
Summary: Alien Jack learns about Christmas!Set in the same universe asBiosignature.





	An Extraterrestrial Xmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NessieFromSpace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NessieFromSpace/gifts).



> Day 3 of Requestmas! Nessie wanted something from the alien freeloader AU with Jack learning about Christmas for the first time!

Being stuck living in a human’s house had given Jack the chance to experience a lot of their culture firsthand.

It’d been about six months since he had first crash-landed on Earth and inserted himself into Rhys’ life, and in that time he’d learned a lot about human customs, habits, and celebrations. There were a  _lot_  of celebrations on Earth, it seemed, from the way Rhys explained it whenever Jack questioned why everyone on the television was wearing red and blue and white and talking about  _independence_ —something that would get you first in line for execution on Jack’s home planet—or why he was hanging gruesomely cartoonish symbols of dark and bizarre creatures all over his house. Jack’s people weren’t really one for celebrations, with most fanfare revolving around remembrance of major wars or swearing fealty to those in charge.

And yet, as odd as they were, Jack enjoyed most of the Earth holidays. The red white and blue one had involved colorful explosions that reminded Jack of the twirling galaxies he’d witnessed in space while he was on the lam. And during the one with the decorations of strange creatures he’d been given human sweets after Rhys had handed the rest out to small children dressed in odd costumes. He’d even been able to let his horns and tail out for that one, as Rhys had stated that “no one would realize they were real anyway.”

And the fun hadn’t stopped there. The celebration after that had involved even  _more_  eating, something that was quickly becoming one of Jack’s favorite pastimes on Earth. Human food was  _delicious_ , like nothing he’d ever eaten before in his life both on his home planet and as a fugitive, and the idea of a day dedicated simply to  _eating_  had thrilled and delighted him even before Rhys had put the food on the table.

At this point, the prospect of any new holiday excited him. So when Rhys started putting up brand-new decorations that Jack had never seen before, he followed after the young man like a curious puppy, tail waggling slightly as he asked about every new thing that Rhys was pulling out of the boxes.

Rhys seemed more passionate about this  _Christmas_ than he had been with any of the other holidays. Jack quickly deduced that this must be one of, if not Rhys’ favorite of the Earth holidays. He hummed strange songs as he decorated the house and even cheerfully answered Jack’s questions without the usually baseline of exasperation. He had even let Jack hang up some by himself, though the alien’s claws were not the best tools for hanging up strings of lights and glittering garlands. However, Jack’s height and bulk came in handy considering Rhys’ growing belly made it harder for him to reach certain areas and drape the proper decorations.

Soon enough, the entire house lit up like a thousand stars, leaving Jack dumbstruck at the simple beauty. It filled him with that same strange warmth he’d started to experience lately, whenever he looked at Rhys, or touched the swell of his egg-filled belly. He was in such a good mood that he spent the rest of the evening curled around his mate, tail draped over Rhys’ lap as he cuddled him senseless.

The next week or so was spent feverishly researching Christmas and all its traditions, Jack’s eyes glittering with interest as he poured over articles and lists and images that enlightened him on all the lore and love seeped into what was obviously the human culture’s favored holiday.

As November turned to December, Jack insisted on more Christmas activities whenever Rhys had the time. Before, Jack had mostly been bored with spending much time outside of Rhys’ home, preferring the familiar comfort of his mate in a place where he didn’t have to disguise himself. But for the sake of ice skating and gift shopping and looking at the other light displays in Rhys’ neighborhood, Jack eagerly shrunk down into his human form.

More and more decorations steadily draped Rhys’ home thanks to Jack’s enthusiasm, and the pantry and fridge were quickly stocked with a variety of festive foods the alien was dying to try. But there was still something missing. Something that Jack had read about, that had featured prominently in every single article on Christmas he had read, that had graced the headers of every blog post and recipe that he had explored in his quest to learn as much about the human holiday as possible.

“Say, kiddo,” Jack murmured one night as he and Rhys watched one of the many stop-motion specials that had come to delight the alien. Rhys hummed in recognition, tilting his head to look back at Jack.

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you have a Christmas tree?”

With how much Rhys had already decorated the house, the absence of a tree definitely stuck out like a sore thumb. Jack was pretty sure the space in the corner that was conspicuously absent had been left that way on purpose, so obviously Rhys had to have  _considered_ getting a tree. When he pressed on, the young man just hummed, shoulders falling in a sad shrug.

“Just don’t think I have the money for a real one this year…It’s harder to do work and hide  _this_ ,” he rubbed his belly, “at the same time. I’ve had to take a lot more time off. And the food budget has gone up…just…gonna have to do without it this year, I guess.”

Jack frowned, his fangs popping out over his lips as he took his eyes off the elf puppets singing onscreen and looked down at Rhys. The young man fidgeted with the fabric of the sweater stretched tight over his belly.

The alien wasn’t dumb. He knew that laying a clutch in Rhys had caused the human some…hardship. But the strain in Rhys’ voice upset that fuzzy feeling he’d been riding the entire month, and he didn’t like it.

A plan stirred in Jack’s brain as he nuzzled against Rhys, kissing the top of the young man’s head.

* * *

When Rhys opened the door the next evening, feet and back aching from the workday, he was hit with the overwhelming smell of pine. Fresh green needles crunched underneath his flats as he stepped into the foyer. A clear trail of dirt, half-melted snow, and more of the pine needles led him towards the living room, where he was struck with the sight of a  _massive_  pine tree squashed in the previously empty corner. It was so large it curled against the ceiling, its height unable to fit comfortably in his humble home. A pile of shorn, dirtied roots sat in a trash bag by the alien’s tail, which swished happily as Jack arranged a couple of messily wrapped presents underneath the tree.  

“ _Jack_?” Rhys stared, open-mouthed, at the sight. “Where…where the hell did you get that?”  

The alien turned around, a bright smile spreading across his fanged face as he leapt to his feet, the floor shaking slightly with his weight. He bounded over to Rhys with all the excitement of a child on— _well_ —Christmas morning, taking the human’s tiny hands in his massive paws and he tugged Rhys over to the tree.

“You said it would be too expensive to buy a tree but there’s a million of them out there totally free if you know where to look!” He boasted, puffing out his chest as he gestured broadly to the huge tree. Rhys’ eyed widened, staring at the alien.

“Jack….you’re telling me…oh my  _god_.”

“Don’t you love it? Now it’s  _perfect_!” Jack beamed, all four eyes glittering with excitement. Rhys laughed nervously, still in shock.

“I…I can’t believe it…” Jack nuzzled against the top of Rhys’ head, his big arms happily curling around his mate’s middle. Despite the clear surprise, he could hear the happiness slowly creeping back in Rhys’ voice, and with it, that fuzzy feeling Jack loved again rose up in his chest.

“Did you wrap those presents yourself?” Rhys pointed towards the lumpy gifts beneath the tree. Jack nodded proudly.

“Hah, okay, looks like we’re gonna have to teach you some wrapping lessons…” Rhys chuckled, surprised that Jack had been able to do anything at all with his long claws. Though their edge would be  _perfect_  for curling ribbons.

He turned around in the alien’s arms, standing up on his tip toes despite his aching feet to plant a soft kiss on Jack’s lips, which was quickly returned.

“Before that, though,” Rhys mumbled when they pulled away, their bodies warm against one another, “we’ve gotta decorate this monster of a tree.”


End file.
